Hi, I have a 1.5-story wooden house that I've had for half a year, built in the early 70s, which we've extended on one short side with the help of carpenters. Everything is ready and "moved in." I also installed an HRV system myself at the same time. The attic was additionally insulated by the previous owner.
I have a few questions:
- The carpenters don't seem to have installed a vapor barrier in the new exterior wall, it seems to be just a wind barrier (T-vind super) behind the panel. Is this an actual problem?
- They also seem to have used T-vind instead of plastic in the ceiling on the second floor, any comment on that more than it's probably not okay?
- I don't think the exterior attic wall, the last bit up to the ridge, was insulated before (or what do you think in such a house?), but the carpenters did. They haven't installed air vents to the attic, which I think existed on that side before, at least there are some on the other side. When I was just in the knee walls, I saw what appears to be white mold. I haven't been up in the attic yet because it lacks a hatch. My guess is that it's due to a changed climate and/or poor ventilation. What do you think is the main cause of the mold?
I understand, of course, that I should take this up with the carpenter directly, but I would still like input on how you view the above points. Is it a disaster, or does it just need to address the cause of the white mold? The construction took a toll on the family, so we're not keen on having them tear everything down again to redo it.
Thanks for the input.
I have a few questions:
- The carpenters don't seem to have installed a vapor barrier in the new exterior wall, it seems to be just a wind barrier (T-vind super) behind the panel. Is this an actual problem?
- They also seem to have used T-vind instead of plastic in the ceiling on the second floor, any comment on that more than it's probably not okay?
- I don't think the exterior attic wall, the last bit up to the ridge, was insulated before (or what do you think in such a house?), but the carpenters did. They haven't installed air vents to the attic, which I think existed on that side before, at least there are some on the other side. When I was just in the knee walls, I saw what appears to be white mold. I haven't been up in the attic yet because it lacks a hatch. My guess is that it's due to a changed climate and/or poor ventilation. What do you think is the main cause of the mold?
I understand, of course, that I should take this up with the carpenter directly, but I would still like input on how you view the above points. Is it a disaster, or does it just need to address the cause of the white mold? The construction took a toll on the family, so we're not keen on having them tear everything down again to redo it.
Thanks for the input.
Therefore, when I replace a windowsill, I see no trace of plastic, but rather the wind barrier 45mm in from the inside. I then looked at some old photos I took during the construction process and see no evidence that they used plastic anywhere. That said, it's not certain that they didn't, because during part of the construction we weren't living at home and some stages are missing from the photos. At the same time, I was inside the attic space and saw white mold because I'm considering converting part of it into part of the bedroom. Then I started thinking about it even more, so I decided to check by removing one of the air supply vents in the ceiling, which happened to be in the new part, and then I see a wind barrier instead. I checked another from the old part, and then I see black plastic. Possibly, I can check further by tearing away the insulation inside the attic space...
Then they have put wind barrier fabric instead of plastic film outside the installation space. You might need to check with them what they have done (or not done...) in more parts of the construction. Have you paid them in full already?
Ok, but if it is either windduk or ångduk, is it automatically a big problem?
@para, can you elaborate? So it is Ok?
@para, can you elaborate? So it is Ok?
No, towards the living room so no wet room.
The rest of the house seems to have the original plastic from the early 70s. It might not be super good though. Black and feels quite thin, like black garbage bags, not like the new blue which is thicker and stiff.
It's not about a huge number of square meters because we mainly installed large windows in it. I'm not very keen on having them come again and tearing everything down and rebuilding it... The ceiling on the upstairs towards the attic is easier to fix because I'm going to re-plaster it anyway, so it doesn't matter much if I need to tear down those boards.
But what do you think, will there be problems later on? Do you think it's enough to just try to tackle the white mold in the attic/crawl space? How if so?
The rest of the house seems to have the original plastic from the early 70s. It might not be super good though. Black and feels quite thin, like black garbage bags, not like the new blue which is thicker and stiff.
It's not about a huge number of square meters because we mainly installed large windows in it. I'm not very keen on having them come again and tearing everything down and rebuilding it... The ceiling on the upstairs towards the attic is easier to fix because I'm going to re-plaster it anyway, so it doesn't matter much if I need to tear down those boards.
But what do you think, will there be problems later on? Do you think it's enough to just try to tackle the white mold in the attic/crawl space? How if so?
T-wind has both wind barrier and vapor brakes. It is likely a vapor brake that is correctly installed on the inside. If you have reasonable insulation, i.e., no more than perhaps 150mm mineral wool, this is completely normal. Regardless, it hardly matters; the important thing is that it is well installed and that it is tight.